In December of 2005 I met Breeze. She was an 8 year old Morgan mare who was part of a string of horses used for taking tourists on trail rides here in the Coronado National Forest. She had been diagnosed with severe impaction almost 2 months before and was having to be flushed manually every day with water and given laxatives in order for her to pass manure. Her owner were about to put her down when we met.
What 3 vets had failed to notice was that Breeze’s tail could be lifted up and laid along her spine and her anus was completely flaccid. Her sacrum was twisted and one hip was locked at least 2 inches above and in front of the other. Subsequent vet inspection (by a different vet) showed that Breeze had somehow broken her sacral spine in two to three places and stretched or torn the sacral ligaments. She couldn’t poop because she had damaged the nerves that controlled peristalsis. (more…)